The significance of having a team of skilled and knowledgeable staff cannot be overstated. Nevertheless, we must sometimes bid farewell to valuable resources and embrace new ones as part of our ongoing growth and evolution. This month, Australian Taekwondo will be experiencing certain staffing changes, which we wanted to share with our community.
After nearly two years of dedicated service as our Performance Director, Ross Hartnett will be stepping down from his role. Ross has been a crucial figure in enhancing the High-Performance aspect of Taekwondo in Australia.
Ross' work has contributed significantly to strengthening the connection between Australian Taekwondo and CombatAUS' High-Performance Program and strengthening collaboration between National Pathways and State Programs. We sincerely thank Ross for his unwavering commitment to Australian Taekwondo and for his efforts in ensuring the success of our High-Performance areas.
In light of this change, we are pleased to announce that Ben Exton will be taking on the role of Performance Manager. Ben will focus primarily on Para-Taekwondo, but will also oversee various performance-related responsibilities, including anti-doping management, policy development, compliance, and additional support for our Performance Pathways Program.
Ben, who has been with Australian Taekwondo for five years, has a background as an Exercise Physiologist, competitive Taekwondo, and trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. For any performance-related enquiries, please don't hesitate to contact Ben on performacemanager@austkd.com.au
We are equally excited to welcome Robbie Wallace to the Australian Taekwondo team as our new Participation Manager. Robbie brings a wealth of experience from the sports technology sector, where he was involved in coaching, mentoring, and implementing customer success strategies.
Before this, Robbie worked with Triathlon Victoria in a member development and growth-focused role where he initiated coach and club-oriented initiatives to drive membership engagement and expansion. Robbie holds two degrees, one in Physiology and Sports Science and the other in Physiotherapy. He is also a qualified swim and run coach. For any enquiries related to participation, you can contact Robbie at participation@austkd.com.au
Please join us in thanking Ross for his services to Taekwondo and congratulating Ben and Robbie as they embark on their new roles.
